Mini Global Climate Concert Series announced
AEG Presents is to produce the inaugural date of the newly announced Right Here, Right Now Mini Global Climate Concert Series.
The show is the first activation of the Right Here, Right Now Music initiative, launched by the Recording Academy and the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance (Right Here, Right Now) in a bid to combat the human rights crisis resulting from climate change.
The series will present arena acts at small concert venues around the globe, while shining a light on alarming climate issues. It will launch on Thursday 13 April at the Boulder Theater in Colorado, headlined by Wesley Schultz, lead singer of the Lumineers. The show, which will also feature special guests including Yola, will be filmed by Citizen Pictures for a later broadcast.
“We are honoured to be working with several United Nations-supported global music initiatives to bring together artists and create unique music events to promote social justice around the world,” says Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. “Music has no boundaries so we are excited to partner with the artist community and work with the United Nations to further their human rights goals and ultimately, better the world.”
“Music provides a platform for the biggest megaphone in the world”
Further concerts are being planned in cities on multiple continents, with discussions underway for potential events in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, London, Johannesburg, Bogotá and Dubai. Proceeds will go to United Nations Human Rights climate justice initiatives and music charity MusiCares.
“It is a privilege and honour to be partnering with the Recording Academy in the development of multiple global music initiatives supported by United Nations Human Rights, including Right Here, Right Now Music, which will elevate global awareness to help reframe climate change as the human rights crisis that it is,” adds David Clark, founder and CEO of Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance.
“Music provides a platform for the biggest megaphone in the world, and working with the Recording Academy, the most renowned music organisation in the world, will help ensure the Right Here, Right Now Mini Global Climate Concert Series gives voice to those who all too often have none.”
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The Lumineers announce ‘climate-positive’ world tour
The Lumineers are partnering with environmental non-profit Reverb to embark on another ‘climate-positive’ tour.
The band’s 60-date Brightside World Tour is due to kick off at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, UK, on 24 February and conclude at Sound on Sound music festival in Bridgeport in Connecticut, US, on 25 September.
Once again, the American folk-rock band is committing to a comprehensive climate action programme via REVERB’s Music Climate Revolution campaign, with aims to reduce their environmental footprint whilst on the road.
The tour will also see the band commit to eliminating more greenhouse gas pollutions than they emit by supporting projects that directly eliminate greenhouse gases.
Founded in 2004, Reverb helps to limit the carbon footprint of tours and educate those within the live touring industry on their consumption habits so that they can make a difference.
The Lumineers will commit to eliminating more greenhouse gas pollutions than they emit
The company has ‘greened’ concerts for the likes of The 1975, P!nk, John Mayer, Shawn Mendes, Maroon 5 and Fleetwood Mac. Future clients include Billie Eilish, Harry Styles and Tame Impala.
The Lumineers previously teamed up with Reverb for their 2020 North American Tour.
The Brightside World Tour is due to visit arenas including the O2 (cap. 21,000) in London, UK, the Wizink Center (16,000) in Madrid, Spain, the MGM Grand Garden Arena (16,800) in Las Vegas, US, and the Crypto.com arena (20,000) in Los Angeles, US.
Special guests throughout the tour will include Caamp, Gregory Alan Isakov, Daniel Rodriguez and James Bay.
The Lumineers managed to get out onto the road for more than 20 shows before the pandemic shut the entire live industry down in 2020. Their run saw stops in Louisville, Toronto, Nashville, Indianapolis, Brooklyn, NY, Detroit and more.
The Lumineers are represented by Joe Atamian at Wasserman Music in North and South America and Australia, and Alex Bruford at ATC Live in Europe, Asia and South Africa.
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The O2 Arena celebrates a week of firsts
The O2 Arena in London witnessed a week of firsts, as Hans Zimmer, the Lumineers, Liam Gallagher and the Chemical Brothers all made their debut headline appearances at the venue.
All artists received First Time awards, starting with Hans Zimmer, who performed as part of his The World of Hans Zimmer – A Symphonic Celebration world tour on Tuesday 26 November.
American folk band the Lumineers brought their III tour to the arena the night after, followed by Liam Gallagher, who played a two-night run on 28 and 29 November as part of his Why Me? Why Not? tour.
The Chemical Brothers closed out the week of O2 debuts on 30 November with their No Geography Tour.
“We feel honoured and lucky to host such an array of artists at the venue”
“It’s been an incredible week of shows at the O2 including four artists who have performed at the venue for the very first time,” says Christian D’Acuna, head of programming at the arena.
“We feel honoured and lucky to host such an array of artists at the venue; from the legendary film scores composed by Hans Zimmer, and the Lumineers bringing their country-folk, to rock-and-roll star Liam Gallagher delighting fans with two ‘biblical’ sold out shows, and ending the week of first-time shows with Chemical Brothers’ incredible live show full of lasers and mesmerising visuals.”
The O2, which has sold over 25 million tickets since 2007, announced more upcoming debuts for 2020 and 2021, from Camilla Cabello, Our Planet and Hollywood Vampires at the arena.
Pictured (l to r): Dieter Semmelmann (CEO, Semmel Concerts), Stuart Galbraith (CEO, Kilimanjaro Live), Hans Zimmer, Steve Kofsky (CEO, RCI Global) and Marc Saunders (programming manager, the O2)
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11 accuse former Lumineers manager of sexual assault
Following the accusations of five women last month, a further six have come forward this week to speak out about the alleged sexual assault and sexual misconduct they endured at the hands of former Lumineers manager David Meinert. The reported events, now coming from a total of 11 different women, date from 2001 to 2015.
The alleged events from each accuser were recounted in detail and supported with secondary sources by Seattle-based news organisation KUOW. The accounts include non-consensual genital touching, forcible and non-consenual kissing, attempted forcing of oral sex and even repeated slapping when one woman rejected his aggressive advances. Meinert, 52, is also said to have threatened two other women upon learning they had told friends about their assaults.
Five of the six most recent accusers have come forward publicly – they include musician Erryn Young, Seattle Times food critic Bethany Jean Clement, Umami Seattle (a catering company) founder Elise Ballard, Urban Artworks board chair Rebecca Jacobs and political operative and adjunct Bellevue College faculty member Maria Leininger. A sixth, named only as Jenna, withheld her second name out of fear of the stigma still attached to sexual assault victims.
The KUOW report told of how he acted “contrite” when questioned, and admitted “to being a jerk to women, to making off-colour sexist remarks, to being ‘handsy’.”
Last month, Meinert was interviewed twice by KUOW in response to the initial five allegations. He denied rape and sexual assault. The KUOW report told of how he acted “contrite” when questioned, and admitted “to being a jerk to women, to making off-colour sexist remarks, to being ‘handsy’.” Despite this, he went on to say he didn’t know why the accusations were being made against him, and that he “didn’t recall” any instances of inappropriate behaviour.
In the aftermath of the initial five accusations last month, and the further six this week, Meinert’s Seattle-based businesses have suffered a sharp downturn. Of his management company Onto Entertainment, three acts have left, including – according to their band representative – the Lumineers. Elsewhere, his restaurant and club empire has crumbled. In the cases of Comet Tavern, Lost Lake Cafe & Lounge, Grim’s and Queer/Bar, he has been barred from entering the premises.
Meinert is just the latest name to come unstuck in the music world in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Since last year, repeated scandals have revealed the extent to which sexual misconduct, assault and harassment permeate the entertainment industries. Post-#MeToo, responses have included improved reporting and support services and campaigns to tackle harassment.
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